Every good tree has deep roots, right?

For Nick Saban, that’s Don James and Bill Belichick.

As for his own coaching branches, Saban has been around football for so long, and in so many prominent jobs, that he’s shared a coaching staff with a number of high-profile guys. Still, he hasn’t hired as many successful future head coaches as you may imagine.

Two of the most successful, Mark Dantonio and Jimbo Fisher, can credit Jim Tressel and Terry Bowden, respectively, just as much as Saban.

Still, among SEC head coaches, Saban has one of, if not the, most impressive “coaching tree,” and it’s full of prominent assistants and coordinators. Let’s take a look at some of the names.

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PROMINENT HEAD COACHES

Jimbo Fisher, Florida State

Tie To Saban: Fisher already was a respected SEC coach when he connected with Saban at LSU, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2000-04. Fisher stayed in Baton Rouge when Saban bailed for Miami.

Biggest Accomplishment: Fisher, QB Jameis Winston and FSU beat Auburn to win the BCS Championship following the 2013 season.

Mark Dantonio, Michigan State

Tie To Saban: After previously serving on Jim Tressel’s Youngstown State staff for five seasons, Dantonio left Kansas to join Saban’s Michigan State staff as defensive backs coach in 1995. He worked under Saban for five seasons as well.

Biggest Accomplishment: Led Michigan State to back-to-back Top 5 finishes, winning the Rose and Cotton Bowls following the ’13 and ’14 seasons.

Jim McElwain, Florida

Tie To Saban: Hired as Alabama’s offensive coordinator in ’08, the same year that Julio Jones and Mark Ingram arrived in Tuscaloosa, McElwain spent four seasons with the Tide before accepting a head coaching job at Colorado State.

Biggest Accomplishment: During those four seasons, Alabama went 48-6 and won two national championships.

Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys

Tie To Saban: Garrett’s NFL career as a quarterback ended in 2004 with the Miami Dolphins. Saban gave him his first coaching job the very next season, as Garrett never left the Dolphins’ quarterbacks meeting room. When Saban left for Alabama, Garrett became offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.

Biggest Accomplishment: Leading the Cowboys to an NFC East title and winning a playoff game in 2014.

THE SAPLING THAT WON’T LEAVE THE PLANTER

Kirby Smart, Alabama defensive coordinator

Saban’s coaching tree would appear much healthier with one more sturdy branch.

Smart is a likely candidate, but while we’re dealing with tree metaphors, he hasn’t seemed all that interested in “branching” out on his own. He first worked under Saban as defensive backs coach at LSU in 2004 and must’ve made a strong impression, because Saban hired him as safeties coach with the Miami Dolphins in ’06, brought him to Alabama and installed him as defensive coordinator in 2008.

The buzz surrounding Smart as a potential big-time head coach has cooled the last few seasons as up-tempo spread offenses have given Alabama’s defense some trouble. Smart can afford to be picky about head coaching opportunities when he makes more than $1.3 million to lead the Crimson Tide defense. Clearly he’s earned Saban’s trust, and it may take a tremendous offer for him to leave the planter.

FAILED HEAD COACHES

Will Muschamp, Auburn defensive coordinator

Tie To Saban: Hired as LSU’s linebackers coach in 2001, Saban promoted Muschamp to defensive coordinator in ’02, creating one of the best at the job in college football. He followed Saban to the Miami Dolphins in 2005, but left after one season to go to Auburn.

Muschamp rode a smothering defense to an 11-2 record and a Sugar Bowl appearance at Florida in 2012, then won a combined 10 games the next two seasons, losing to Vanderbilt and Georgia Southern. As well-liked as he was by the media and those in the athletic department, Muschamp didn’t seem cut out to be a head coach.

Derek Dooley, Dallas Cowboys receivers coach

Tie To Saban: Dooley joined the LSU staff as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator in 2000, his first power-conference job. He left Baton Rouge for the Miami Dolphins with Saban in 2005.

His tenure at Tennessee was a disaster. He’s one of the worst SEC head coaches in recent memory. He did finish 8-5 at Louisiana Tech in 2008, but as a head coach he’s 32-41 with five losing seasons. Dooley seems better-suited for an administrative role or as a positional coach like he is now.

PROMINENT ASSISTANT COACHES

Josh McDaniels, New England Patriots offensive coordinator

Tie To Saban: McDaniels’ father helped secure a graduate assistant job for him at Michigan State by calling Saban (the legendary Ohio high school coach and Michigan State coach reportedly were friends). Saban left after two seasons, but McDaniels since has worked for New England coach Bill Belichick, Saban’s former boss, for 11 years.

Biggest Accomplishment: Helped the Patriots win four different Super Bowls.

Pat Shurmur, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator

Tie To Saban: Served as a Spartans assistant coach from 1990-97, the latter three years under Saban.

Biggest Accomplishment: Helped the Eagles and Donovan McNabb to an NFC Championship in 2004 as quarterbacks coach.

Jeremy Pruitt, Georgia defensive coordinator

Tie To Saban: The Alabama coach hired away Pruitt from Hoover, one of the nation’s strongest high school football programs, in 2007, installing him as director of player development. Saban then gave Pruitt his first job as a positional coach, pairing him with the team’s defensive backs from 2010-12.

Biggest Accomplishment: The Seminoles won a national championship with Pruitt as defensive coordinator in ’13.

Todd Grantham, Louisville defensive coordinator

Tie To Saban: As Michigan State coach, Saban hired Grantham to handle the team’s defensive line in ’96 and promoted him to assistant head coach in ’98. The Indianapolis Colts hired away Grantham in ’99.

Biggest Accomplishment: Helped the Colts compile 56 sacks in just two seasons.

OTHERS

Dean Pees, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator
George Edwards, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator
Doug Nussmeier, Florida offensive coordinator
Dameyune Craig, Auburn co-offensive coordinator
Curt Cignetti, Indiana University of Pennsylvania head coach